Two Winthrop honorees

By Staff Reports

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Two from Winthrop University were honored recently.

Mark Herring, the university's dean of library services, was chosen by President Bush to serve on the National Museum and Library Services Board. The board is the main source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums, and one of the chief advisers on how to allocate its $270 million annual budget.

Herring said his appointment to the board was a reflection of the prestige of Winthrop and Dacus Library. We suspect it also reflects his own considerable accomplishments and professionalism.

Donald Friedman, a professor of modern languages at Winthrop, recently was awarded Belgium's highest civilian honor -- the Order of Leopold -- by decree from King Albert II. Friedman traveled o the Belgian Embassy in Washington to receive the honor.

The commendation was in recognition for Friedman's work over the past two decades helping to make Belgian literature available to a larger world audience. Friedman calls Belgium his "spiritual homeland."

This is not the first time Friedman has been honored by the nation. In 2003, he was presented the Laureate of Letters Award from the Belgium Ministry of Culture, becoming only the second American ever to receive the award.

Friedman also is in good company as a recipient of the Order of Leopold. Previous American winners include generals George S. Patton and Dwight Eisenhower.

These are significant and well deserved honors for both Friedman and Herring. Congratulations to both.